Images of Christ

We each have a mental picture of what we think the Savior looks like. But if we painted pictures of Him, they would all be different. We don’t really know what He looks like, but we can come to know His perfect love for us and draw closer to Him as we celebrate His birth.

Some of the paintings of the Savior in this article will be familiar to you. Others will be new. These Latter-day Saint artists have used paintbrushes to express their testimonies and love for the Savior. Although you might not be able to paint beautiful pictures of the Savior, you can resolve to have His image in your countenances (see Alma 5:14).

Christ Healing the Man with the Withered Hand
by Robert Barrett
“Then saith [Jesus] to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [his hand] forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other” (Matt. 12:13).

Robert Barrett

I have always felt that the art is a reflection of what the artist believes. My testimony has been personally strengthened as I have had the opportunity to portray events in the life of the Savior and the history of the Restoration. I know that He lives and that His work is divine.

How do I embody my feelings about that? You have to find a way to get the feelings of your heart out on your canvas.

Beside Still Waters
by Simon Dewey
“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the life and the light of the world” (D&C 11:28).

Simon Dewey

I can boldly bear my witness to the truth as the Spirit has borne witness to me. I know that Jesus lives and is my Redeemer. I know that His Father is mine also and hears me when I call upon Him, with gratitude for daily help and with a penitent heart. Some have asked whether I have had a vision or similar spiritual manifestation that forms the basis for my depiction of the Son of God. My eyes have never seen, nor my ears heard, yet in my heart I know, and it is enough.

That Ye May Know
by Gary Kapp
“Arise and come forth unto me, … that ye may know that I am the God of Israel” (3 Ne. 11:14).

Gary Kapp

I don’t remember ever not having a testimony of Jesus Christ, but it wasn’t until I arrived in the mission field that I began a serious study of His life, especially in the Book of Mormon. At that time, I truly began to feel the burning in my heart that comes from a sure knowledge that Jesus is the Savior of the world and the Son of God.

All of my life I have wanted to give as much of my time and talent as possible to sharing my testimony through art. I sincerely hope my love for the Savior is evident in my art and that it will somehow strengthen the testimonies of those who view it.

Journey’s End
by Derek Hegsted
“Come unto me in my kingdom; and with me ye shall find rest” (3 Ne. 28:3).

Derek Hegsted

I feel no better peace than when I am bearing witness of Christ through a paintbrush. The ability to speak my feelings is not one of my strong points. But a gracious Heavenly Father has blessed me with the ability to bear a witness of my Savior. In reflecting on my testimony and the effects of the arts in my life, I hope to have shown all brothers and sisters of Christ that I know Jesus is the Christ and that He lives.

Simeon Reverencing the Christ Child
by Greg Olsen
Simeon “blessed God, and said, … mine eyes have seen thy salvation” (Luke 2:28–30).

Greg Olsen

Just as a light set up on a hill serves as a beacon to weary travelers, so Jesus Christ stands as a shining example to all the world, showing us a better way to peace and happiness. His light illuminates the path of life, leading us along the straight and narrow way.

Those who press on, with their gaze fixed upon the light of Christ, have their own lights kindled within. He is real, and yes, He lives!

Woman Touching the Hem of the Savior’s Garment
by Judith Mehr
“Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace” (Mark 5:34).

Judith Mehr

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Lord. I know He is the Son of our Heavenly Father. I think of Him as the one who gave His life and sacrificed Himself for my sins so that I might be resurrected and live with God and my family after I die. The most ever-present thing about my testimony now is that I feel His presence in my life daily. I can never deny His existence and His supreme love for me. I love Him with all of my heart.

In Remembrance of Me
by Walter Rane
“This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

Walter Rane

I do not know what He looks like, of course, so I do not attempt to make Him look the same each time I paint Him. Every painting portrays a different event in Christ’s life and is an attempt to express a different aspect of the Savior’s personality.

I know my efforts are very inadequate, but it is nevertheless an honor to try and capture, in some small way, some of the greatness of our Savior, and to express, perhaps, a glimmer of His personality and express a feeling that may touch someone.

Prayer at Gethsemane
by Del Parson
“For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him” (D&C 18:11).

Del Parson

Christ is my hero. I love to read about Him and His life. It is humbling to try to portray Him in art.

My art has been greatly influenced by the guidance given in my patriarchal blessing. It gave direction for my work. Early in my career, my wife and young daughter were in a car accident. At that time I felt as if the Holy Ghost showered me with comfort and God’s love. This love is what I try to express in my paintings of the Savior.

Christ Laments over Jerusalem
by Gary Smith
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, … Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Luke 13:34–35).

Gary Smith

My mother instilled within me a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ at an early age. When I heard the gospel and joined the Church at age 25, it was like finding the missing piece of a puzzle. Today, I still carry with me that faith I had as a boy. But now with wisdom, maturity, and experience that faith takes on a deeper and more profound understanding of our Savior’s life and mission.

Rescue of the Lost Lamb
by Minerva Teichert
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

Minerva Teichert (1888–1976)

“I have a testimony of the gospel. Goodness, it’s the first thing in my life” (Interview by Robert Conrad and Frederick Teichert, Feb. 6, 1974).

The Lord does open doors when we knock. Sometimes the door we had been seeking isn’t the one that’s opened, but the right door is usually the one that swings wide before us, even tho’ we may not recognize it until afterward (Letter to her daughter Laurie Teichert Eastwood).